I write this post today to share with my colleagues in the construction trades.

Home Advisor asked me “How likely are you to recommend Home Advisor?” After providing them with feed back I decided to share this information with my brothers because I know I would appreciate knowing this if someone else was having this experience. Here’s what I submitted to Home Advisor:

You send me leads that cost me money whether I want the lead or not. 70% of the time I get leads that don’t fall within the services we provide. Even though a lead wants something that is classified under one of our service categories, doesn’t mean that we perform that service. I received a lead one time where the lead selected the “Tile Installation” category – and wanted a doggie door installed! A doggie door? I went round and round with you guys for a refund to no avail. And a few times I’ve received leads that have already contacted me via a Google search or through some other service like Thumbtack or Porch. — So I’ve just paid for the lead twice!

We should have the option to read what it is they want and then decide if we want it or not. If we want it we accept (and pay) or pass.

This is my only frustration with Home Advisor and the reason I continuously pause lead flow. — after two months of pausing lead flow I get tied up over the holidays and forget to re-pause lead flow, the first lead I get cost me over $42 and the lead MUST HAVE work completed within one week. Seriously!? We stay booked out an average of 8 weeks. Not happening and $42 out the window!!

No, I will never recommend Home Advisor so long as you continue to operate with this business model. Those of us in the trades have enough frustrations without hard-earned money just being swiped from our pockets. And that’s exactly what it feels like.

We initially got involved with Home Advisor because they do have a vigorous screening process which we passed. Had no doubt that we wouldn’t. Potential clients didn’t know that. Now they can see that we are screened and approved. Home Advisor uses the following criteria to screen professionals:

Licensing

Applicants must carry required state-level licensing to perform work in the trade and service area for which they apply.

Sex Offender Search

Home Advisor checks the official sex offender website in the state in which the owner/principal of the company is located to confirm that there is not a match with the applicant.

Legal Search for Civil Judgments

They use third-party data sources to check the principal/owner of each business for bankruptcy filings and significant state-level civil legal judgments, in the state in which the owner/principal of the company is located, occurring within 12 months prior to application for membership in the HomeAdvisor network.

Criminal Records Search

They uses third-party sources to conduct a criminal search, in the state in which the owner/principal of the company is located as well as any state that owner/principal has address history, for relevant criminal activity associated with the business owner/principal within three years prior to application.

State Business Filings

They confirm that service professionals applying as corporations or limited liability companies are in good standing in the state in which they are located.

Identity Verification (Social Security Number)

HomeAdvisor verifies the social security numbers of business owners/principals to confirm their identities. (This applies primarily to small businesses.)

Once approved you receive Home Advisor’s seal stating that you are screened and approved which does reinforce credibility.